Happy New Year! We have Ben on Criminal Minds this month (?), Hoax and Being hopefully being released this year and maybe more news on GotG3 who knows !? 2018 should be a good year for Ben fans!

Update on #farscapenow :

When I started this campaign I figured on a year to get it going. That was based on the original Save Farscape campaign and the fact there is no central fan site to get people involved. I do think as we go forward we need to push for a 20th Anniversary convention in 2019, perhaps the buzz from that will garner attention from the press and investors.We also need to get Farscape back streaming on one or all of the services. Old fans will rediscover it and maybe be motivated to get involved. New fans will be made. I have started watching shows that I wasn’t interested in or had no time for when they aired on traditional television/cable. Often quality has little to do what what gets revived. People talking about a show. A show trending on social media.

Join in the hashtag-a-thon nightly at 8pm ET(US). This weekend Europeans at 2000 London time. Australians,New Zealanders, Asia, Pacific Rim —you choose which one suits your schedule! Post images,memories,desire for more new Farscape. Target entertainment bloggers/sites like Gizmodo,Nerdist,EW,IGN and SYFYWire and any you follow. Also tag streaming services that produce there own shows like Netflix,Amazon,Hulu,Starz, and HBO. Use the social media you prefer whether it is Facebook,Twitter,Instagram, tumblr or whatever! Just use the hashtag #farscapenow. Remember you can post with the hashtag on the Farscapenow Facebook page if you don’t want it on your own timeline.

The November after Farscape was cancelled at the Farscape con David Kemper’s idea was take out a full page ad in USA Today to show we were serious fans. I raised enough money, $28,000, to get a 1/3 page ad that ran in the weekend edition the Friday the last of the season 4 episodes began airing. The advantage to social media is we can keep Farscape’s name out there and hope it reminds fans who have moved on that they miss that quality, they miss the characters that they cared about. As more join it will hopefully trigger the journalist/sites to do a feature or two on Farscape. Interest in something will have the studios/investors weighing it’s future. So take a few minutes each evening or do some retweeting during the day.

First I want to thank all who are getting active in the #farscapenow campaign. It is easy to do, free and takes just a few minutes a day. On any social media you use just post something about Farscape and use the hashtag #farscapenow. It can be a photo, a retweet, or a reblog. Instagram pic a favorite photo or personal art and hashtag it. There is a surge today at 6 PM ET(US/Canada/South America). There is also a surge at 1800 London (UK) time. Get out your dvds and tweet or post a rewatch during that time if that works for you. If you don’t want people to see on your Facebook feed then you can post on the Farscapenow page.

Second to all those who think the actors too “old”. Star Trek made a comeback over a decade after being cancelled in an era without the Internet.Shows like Everwood, Gilmore Girls and Full House being given new life. Yes these are far cheaper to produce. The X Files (my first fandom and one of the first shows to value the internet fan interaction) had a successful short season last year and begins filming another soon. Yea Gillian Anderson looks older as she should as much time has passed (she is still beautiful and still Scully). Duchovny has aged a bit less gracefully but is still Mulder. Ben and Claudia Black have aged little but enough to believe time has passed. Gigi Edgley looks like she was frozen in time. If one wants pretty faces and abs then Farscape was never the show for you (and I bet our actors have the abs but can also act!).

Thirdly is this a waste of time? Who knows? I would like to think not. Everwood was a good show but who would have thought revival? Farscape fans, many new to the show in the last few years cosplay around the world at conventions. Ben Browder filled a room to standing capacity in Birmingham, UK the morning after a terror attack two hours away this past June. The people running the con thought there would be a drop in attendance but the room surpassed the crowd for Robert Patrick who was the guest before him. Mostly new fans fans since the show was cancelled. Plans I endorse will be posted or tweeted (@Action_John) or Instagrammed by me but it is a grassroots movement so if you have an idea run with it and hashtag it! Yes there is a little used Instagram account as I hate cel phones — benbrowdernet

I attended the first Farscape con with some trepidation. Would they have been “encouraged” to attend by SciFi and affect
ennui I had witnessed at Star Trek cons (these actors have since learned to embrace these events) or be enthusiastic like X File star Gillian Anderson and just enjoy the experience. It was the latter. Every guest from actor to writer had big grins and ran over their time. Five years later over 3000 sat in San Diego, most of us arriving early before the first panel jockeying for better seats as the day went on. We sat through many panels. Often these are quick sell deals for the network and flash thrills for the fans. The heartfelt pride the panel which featured Brian Henson, Rockne O’Bannon, David Kemper, Ben Browder and Claudia Black all felt over this project which they had four plus years to (more in the case of Henson, O’Bannon and Kemper) was still evident. All fans feel this about their panels I know but to this day no one involved mocks or makes light of the work they did on Farscape. Did things ever not go to plan? Of course. Antics? Anthony Simcoe — enough said 🙂 Never do you hear yea they didn’t care that the character wouldn’t say/do that or the producers said just say your lines. Fans like to hear that the characters they have invested time in have been respected by those who bring them to life, that producers/writers say the fans will take the ride with us as opposed to the fans will just have to accept what we give them (said by an exec producer writer of another cult show in an interview). The TV industry has changed. It is trendy to have the casts Tweet live during episodes. The Farscape people visited chats in 2001 and sometimes just dropped in or were there “cloaked”. They get it. Kemper and Manning would challenge fan statements and engage in dialogue over plot/character points. Farscape is a show that would do well in today’s TV world in my opinion as a viewer. We need, we want more #farscapenow

Special thanks to musicalgal for the photos above and surfwidow for the one below 🙂 CaScapers still rule!

What a moment when two men who have admired each other’s work get to take a few minutes and discuss a shared passion — Farscape. I think we all would love to see James Gunn leave his mark on Farscape in the future! Thanks to Scaper Patricia for the spot! #farscapenow

Most of you may have seen this already on Ben Browder Network but in case you haven’t 🙂 I was asked for contact information from the Being people and received this message from one of the executive producers:

Hi Everyone,

My name is Rickey and I’m an Executive Producer for the film Being. It has come to my attention that all of you have reached out in various ways seeking answers on our project that popped up on your radar on July 31st. If you have not yet heard already, the whole Being team is not only excited to work with Ben Browder, but to also engage with his extended family of passionate supporters in a very meaningful way after we have finished shooting. Our priority is to provide the best experience and environment conducive to success. In other words, we hope you are okay with us being a little selfish by keeping news close to the vest until we have carried out our Director’s vision. We care a lot about the talent who have dedicated their time and energy to us as well as their respective management and representatives who were quite pleasing to work with. We don’t want to let any distraction get in the way of delivering the product you deserve. We hope you can understand.

In the coming months, we will make ourselves available to answer questions through various platforms and we can’t thank you enough for your interest. This isn’t a press release per se, but rather a courtesy response. Thank you very much!— Regards,

Rickey Gerard Perez

So now two Twitter missions for Ben fans : #farscapenow — retweet and share Ben or Farscape related messages,GIFs, or photos AND follow @BeingMovie and retweeet them (may be a bit as main filming begins August 14th).

Ok let us take a few moments to go back to fall of 2002. Many of you hadn’t joined the Farscape family yet, so this is addressed to the others. We fans rallied despite the saber rattling of the US president who did not win the popular vote, social protests were happening, investigation in to election improprieties were ongoing and some winding up — sound a bit familiar? European fans were worried their countries would be drawn in and protests happening in their capitols as well. Despite this we took to the internet, the phones to save our show and jokingly(or not!) our sanity. Do I think today worse—yes. That is why we need escapism. I have worked in healthcare for over 30 years and was married to a cop for 16. It has taught me to thankful. Sometimes I need to escape the reality of how cruel life can be. I get that people can escape watching reality dribble (not really but I try!). So for all of the old warriors who still proudly say they are a Scaper —- dust off your 2002 spirit and Tweet,tumblr,Reddit or whatever to streaming services such as Netflix,Hulu,Amazon Studio and yes even our former nemesis SYFY that the time is now for more #farscapenow. Where do you get your entertainment news? Post to them that you want to hear about Farscape— where are they now, revival merit whatever YOU are interested in. The need for stories by these sites will attract the streaming services/networks that can help at Henson line up investment money and guarantee a distribution outlet at the same time. The campaign will also provide you, the fan, with a few minute a day escape from the adult world around you! So go and ask for more #farscapenow and save your sanity!

A bit of a follow up to my editorial rant. I believe in showing respect in public forums to both your fellow fans and the actors being discussed. That said there is nothing wrong with appreciating their sex appeal and physical attributes as well as their talent. For me there some beautiful actors with zero talent that have no appeal. That is where I question Hollywood’s choices sometimes but then I realize great abs or hair are enough for many viewers. A group I am in (not Farscape or Ben related) had some people posting that they knew the partner of an actor was jealous of them because they were so much more fun than she as they attended a wrap party and she couldn’t be bothered (their words). They had no facts and the couple has 2 younger kids and it was during school. She is also a performer. It was said in fun I am sure but repeated and discussed in depth. The fans are happily married women. It passed the line in my opinion because they demeaned the partner so as an extension the actor . However saying you would “hook up,do etc” an actor is different in my mind. It is usually said as a compliment , off the cuff and in a setting where one is comfortable. I have posted that myself especially back in the early days of Farscape on the Dom. If any producer types are reading fan groups they want to know the actors are appealing and often sex appeal draws more viewers than just talent. Farscape was blessed with a group of actors that had both. They were various types, ages and some in prosthetics yet all had and still have followings who find them and the characters they played “sexy”. Well maybe not Rygel though Jonathan Hardy was adored by fans. Most of us who make the comments are not sexist in real life and treat people with respect. I am sure this sounds a bit hypocritical but I think most of us think along the same lines. There are lines not to be crossed. Comments that are truly offensive usually generate many negative responses that let the poster know a line has been crossed. A pet peeve of mine is conventions where all guest questions are vetted. The same goes with fan boards. Farscape and Ben fandoms are usually pretty mellow and self-regulating. Heated discussions may call for a nudge from the mod now and again. Trekbbs use to ban people for a week at a time when things got ugly and heated ( and it was worth it when I responded rudely to someone who said Connor Trineer was a better actor than Ben !).

Right now we need to band together to get more Farscape. You can bet that Producers and investors want to know the leads still have “it” and people want to see them back in their leathers! #farscapenow !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just want to express my thanks to all who stopped by and read the interview with Ben about Guardians. The over 500 of you!! I have had this for almost 17 years and it is for fun. Ben is a class act and I would say we are discerning fans. I hope, as I am sure many of you do as well, that this cameo will lead to more exciting projects. We know he is the original Star Lord. I get how Hollywood thinks, I don’t agree but I get it. I watch a lot of British and Australian TV and find it interesting that not every story is changed to have a 20 something lead. I also get that studios want a “bankable” star for films they are investing millions if not hundreds of millions. Emma Watson is a fabulous actress yet Beauty and the Beast would have worked with an unknown or lesser known actress. An actor draws his or her base in but many people react to the idea shown in a trailer or described in a blurb in my opinion. Granted not sure if it was my checkbook I would trust viewers that much but I like to think good acting and good stories sell themselves as much as an actor’s name. I go to James Bond films no matter who plays Bond. I am not going to the New Mummy film because all of Tom Cruise films blend together as a series of stunts and effects and his “don’t worry we’re going to get out of this face” (and he should have never played Jack Reacher despite owning the rights!). Sermon over!

Until Hoax is released ( not sure of the distribution details at this point) in March we can re-watch Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 🙂

Scaper Patricia posted a promo photo that brought back a flood of memories! The convention center at the Burbank Hilton had windows and we were lining up to go in and could see the vendor table with the new official photos! Squeeing was heard as each group saw them!! It was 2001 and jaded scifi fans were still disbelieving of a “ship” early in a series no matter what was seen and that the producers/writers/actors said! A couple of months before I had listened to creator Rockne O’Bannon explain at SDCC that he felt it wrong when shows ignored chemistry or were afraid to write an adult relationship (he cited X Files). Then these incredible season 3 promo photos came out! Farscape was good solid drama and had a love story that was organic not just an occasional plot device. This first photo is the one I got signed — Ben signed in Claudia’s hair saying “It is all about the hair” !